Nation/World Briefs

November 24, 2006

NATIONAL BRIEFING170,000 Volvo vehicles recalled for speed control problem DETROIT (AP) -- More than 170,000 Volvo passenger cars, station wagons and sport utility vehicles from the 1999-2002 model years have been recalled, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. Volvo Cars of North America, a unit of Ford Motor Co., is recalling vehicle speed controls on some C70, C70 convertible, S60, S70, S80, V70, V70XC and XC70 models. A malfunctioning electronic throttle module may cause the vehicles to unnecessarily go into "limp home" mode, in which the vehicle's speed is limited to 10 to 30 mph, NHTSA said. NATIONAL BRIEFINGAnother quake strikes Hawaii in same area where 2 others hit KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) -- An earthquake with a magnitude of at least 4.5 struck off the northwest coast of the Big Island on Thursday in the same area where two stronger temblors struck last month. The quake, centered about 11 miles northwest of Puuanahulu, shook homes on the Big Island, Maui and Oahu, but it did not produce a tsunami threat, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated its magnitude at 5.0; the Tsunami Warning Center estimated it at 4.5. Boulders and other debris forced the temporary closure of Highway 19 near Laupahoehoe on the Big Island, officials said. There were isolated power outages in Kona on the Big Island, but no other damages were immediately reported. Magnitude 6.7 and 6.0 earthquakes shook the islands Oct. 15. NATIONAL BRIEFINGDriver accused of striking 19 ruled competent to stand trial SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- An SUV driver accused of running down 19 people in a deadly spree through streets and sidewalks was found competent to stand trial after his medication was changed. Police arrested Omeed Aziz Popal on Aug. 29 after surrounding his sport utility vehicle with squad cars. By then, victims had been hit at more than a dozen locations in Fremont and San Francisco, and a 54-year-old man had been killed in Fremont, where Popal lives. Popal, 29, was found competent Wednesday to stand trial in San Francisco on 18 counts of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, plus single counts of battery on a peace officer and reckless evasion from police. He is suspected of murder in Fremont. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFINGCritic of Russian government dies of mysterious illness LONDON (AP) -- A former Russian spy who said he had been poisoned died Thursday night at a London hospital, following a mysterious and rapid decline that left doctors unable to pinpoint the cause of death, officials said. Alexander Litvinenko, a fierce critic of the Russian government, had suffered heart failure and was heavily sedated as medical stuff struggled to determine what had made the 43-year-old ill. The former spy said he believed he had been poisoned on Nov. 1, while investigating the slaying of another Kremlin detractor.The Russian government has denied poisoning Litvinenko. INTERNATIONAL BRIEFINGPoles recover bodies of all 17 trapped after mine explosion RUDA SLASKA, Poland (AP) -- The bodies of all 17 men trapped 3,000 feet underground after a mine explosion in southern Poland have been found, bringing the death toll to 23, the mining company said Thursday. The men were killed by a methane gas explosion Tuesday at the Halemba coal mine in Poland. Rescue officials said all probably died in the initial blast.